lunes, 22 de abril de 2013

Along the malecón of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, lie a range of sand sculptures, onsite lighting making them even the more striking at night. I find this sculpture itself out of place in Puerto Vallarta, a highly commercialised, tourist town, hinted at in the lit up buildings in the background. The malecón is not designed to be a peaceful walk at night alongside the incredibly detailed sculptures and statues. Even more so than in less touristic places it springs to life at night, with a seemingly endless trail of food venders, toy and trinket sellers, and performers.

There is too much peace in the sculpture to fit. It's also not very Mexican. But I think the sculpture, standing taller than I, deserves my forgiveness this time. I wish I could keep so composed facing the constant threat of being washed away. Maybe if I stretch my ears and grow some bonsai trees it will help. I think I'll do that.

miércoles, 10 de abril de 2013

Wandering through the suburban streets, you only have to navigate a couple of corners to come across this church from my house. It's not a very pretty church, simple red brick, although it does have some stained glass windows, it doesn't appear very remarkable at all. The denomination in Uniting, a common Christian denomination in Australia. What intrigues me about it though, if you look at the sign, is that it's Korean. I also really like their minibuses with the Uniting Church insignia and Korean writing on the sides. I have seen a couple of churches in Australia that are something like - Chinese Baptist Church - or something of the sort, and they always stick out at me, but they are still so rare. To me it seems quite bizarre, it poses many questions, but mostly: are their services normal, but just in Korean? Is that the only difference? I really want to attend one of their services to find out, but my conspicuousness concerns me: I don't exactly look Korean. And really, if I went, I don't speak Korean, and even if I did, I don't know what a normal Uniting Church service is like to compare it to. But despite all that, it is very intriguing. Every time I walk past I find myself staring at it and wondering. So many mysteries around this small Korean church...

Datos personales

An anthropologist with a strong interest in understandings of, and relationships with, "nature"; language; the dynamics of cross-cultural projects and religion, particularly within the context of Australia and Mexico.
I'm also really keen to take anthropology out of the ivory tower and to apply it to the world, particularly through community-based and cross-cultural projects.